The Jazz Age Comes Back To Life In The Bayou City— How Performing Arts Houston Pulled It Off
A Record Setting Night With Plenty of Dance Wows
BY Shelby Hodge // 04.24.25
Dancers more than kept it lively at the Performing Arts Houston gala. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)
What: Performing Arts Houston Kaleidoscope Ball
Where: Wortham Theater Center
PC Moment: With “Rhapsody in Blue” as the jazz age theme of the Performing Arts Houston Kaleidoscope Ball a crop of professional dancers entertained with what one might call period dances — energized presentations of swing, lindy hop and tap — making for a lively night.
High point of the evening for chairs Margaret and Brian Bravo as well as for honorees Melanie Gray and Mark Wawro turned out to be the final tally of proceeds — an impressive $750,000. A record for this annual gala.
Bergner & Johnson delivered a jazz age ambience to the Grand Foyer of the performing arts center. Everyone entered the party scene through a faux speakeasy, where a jazz combo from the Community Music Center of Houston performed and Prohibition signature cocktails were served. City Kitchen provided a New York-inspired menu for the dinner.
“Saturday night was a celebration of incredible philanthropists and community leaders, Melanie Gray and Mark Wawro, and their remarkable dedication to the arts in Houston,” Performing Arts Houston president and CEO Meg Booth says. “We are thrilled to be able to recognize them while supporting Performing Arts Houston’s critical work to connect Houston audiences with artists and cultures from all over the globe.”
SHOP FOR MOM
Presenting the kaleidoscope of jazz age entertainment was Bessie Award winner Caleb Teicher with dancers Sean Vitale, Samantha Siegel and Nathan Bugh with music from Floyd Domino’s All Stars. Dinner guests were then encouraged to hit the dance floor by the Houston Swing Dance Society.
Highlight of the live auction, in the hands of Rusty Mertink, was the Great Gatsby-themed New York package donated by Bulgari. Dancing followed to the sounds of YUNGCHRIS, a recent recipient of the nonprofit’s New/Now: The Houston Artist Commissioning Project.
PC Seen: Rachelle and Jeff Ball, Linda and Willie Chiang, Mignon and Steve Gill, Emily Kuo and Michael Chu, Nancy and Chuck Davidson, Lisa and Saul Valentin, Janet and John Carrig, Janet and Bill Swanstrom, Scott Nyquist, C.C. and Duke Ensell, Harrison Guy and Adrian Homer and Chuck Boettcher.
